University home > Unit and programme catalogues in 2011/12 > Programme catalogue > Faculty of Social Sciences and Law > University of Bristol Law School > Human Rights Law (LLM) > Specification
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Programme code | 9LAWD016T |
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Programme type | Postgraduate Taught Degree |
Programme director(s) |
Gerard McMeel
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Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
School/department | University of Bristol Law School |
Teaching institution | University of Bristol |
Awarding institution | University of Bristol |
Mode of study | Full Time |
Programme length | 1 years (full time) |
The LLM in Human Rights Law programme offers a range of units suitable both for those with some previous knowledge of human rights law and for those seeking an introduction to specific human rights law issues. The units are in the traditional fields of human rights law (e.g. International Law and Human Rights; Human Rights Law) but they also cover more specialist areas (Individual Employment Rights International Law of Labour and Welfare Rights International and European law on Refugees and Asylum; International Criminal Law; Privacy Law: Theory and Practice). This does not provide professional accreditation.
This programme aims:
to develop the student's interest in and knowledge and understanding of human rights law;
To enable students to develop their legal skills of analysis and synthesis of human rights law at a deeper level than honours level;
To enable students to develop originality and sophistication in their treatment of complex human rights legal issues so that they are capable of creating or developing new knowledge;
To enable students to communicate their own legal ideas effectively in writing;
To help prepare students for careers in the human rights profession both in the UK and abroad;
To provide a basis for further academic study at PhD level, leading to an academic career.
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning and Teaching Methods |
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Use of seminars and/or lectures |
Methods of Assessment | |
Seen or unseen examination |
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning and Teaching Methods |
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advice and guidance from lecturers delivered in seminars and/or lectures; |
Methods of Assessment | |
seen or unseen examination; |
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning and Teaching Methods |
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advice and guidance from lecturers delivered in seminars and/or lectures; |
Methods of Assessment | |
The first two skills are assessed by way of seen or unseen examination; and/or formative and summative assessment of essays. The third, fourth and fifth skills are not assessed. The sixth skill is not formally assessed but it is unlikely that a student would be able to produce a satisfactory dissertation for Part Two without having mastered it. |
Statement of expectations from the students at each level of the programme as it/they develop year on year.
Level M/7 - Postgraduate Certificate |
Students who have successfully completed the post-graduate certificate should have acquired relevant experience in and have a general understanding of the key features of human rights law, through attendance at lectures and/or seminars delivered in the relevant units, reading the materials set, seeking answers to questions raised in the handouts and developing arguments on human rights issues. This is demonstrated through a mark of 50% or more in two units, amounting to 60 credit points. |
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Level M/7 - Postgraduate Diploma |
To study the syllabus set in each of the taught Part One units that the student selects. This will involve attendance at the lectures and/or seminars delivered on that unit, reading the materials set, seeking to answer questions raised in unit handouts and developing arguments relating to policy-related human rights issues. The student will thereby gain a thorough knowledge of human rights law, should be able to identify and prioritise key human rights legal issues, and should be able to analyse and evaluate sources at a level of sophistication appropriate to postgraduate study. This should be demonstrated by achievement of a mark of 50% or more in the final examination taken in May/June and/or in summative assessed coursework. Students who wish to obtain an LLM in General Legal Studies may choose their units from any of the units on offer in their year of study. However, students who wish to obtain one of the specialist LLMs must take at least three of their four units from the prescribed list of units relating to their specialist LLM programme, i.e. human rights law. |
Level M/7 - Postgraduate Masters |
To submit by 15 September a dissertation of between 10,000 – 12,000 words on a topic of their choice. Students who wish to obtain an LLM in General Legal Studies have free choice as to the subject matter of their dissertation, subject to the availability of a suitable supervisor. Students who wish to obtain an LLM in Human Rights Law must choose a topic which relates to human rights. The dissertation should reflect the student's ability to identify significant human rights legal issues, to engage in independent library-based research, to structure and develop legal arguments and to engage in critical evaluation of their merits. This would be demonstrated by achievement of a mark of 50% or more. |
For information on the admissions requirements for this programme please see details in the postgraduate prospectus at http://www.bristol.ac.uk/prospectus/postgraduate/ or contact the relevant academic department.
The LLM is offered not only through weekday teaching, but by an 'Advanced Award' programme which allows adult students and those in legal practice to achieve an LLM by part time study at weekends. Students on this programme may, like many other part-time students, complete Parts I and II within two years, but there is flexibility such that they need only complete the entire LLM programme within an eight year period.
Professor Rachel Murray, School of Law, University of Bristol
Tel: 0117 9545374 and Rachel.Murray@bristol.ac.uk
Unit Name | Unit Code | Credit Points | Status | |
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Dissertation | LAWDM1001 | 60 | Mandatory | AYEAR |
Three or four units from this list. If three from this list, then one unit from the other LLM streams or 30 points of foundation units (if criteria met) | ||||
Human Rights Law | LAWDM0014 | 30 | Optional | TB-4 |
International Law VI: International Law and Human Rights | LAWDM0020 | 30 | Optional | TB-4 |
International and European Immigration and Refugee Law | LAWDM0077 | 30 | Optional | TB-4 |
Human Rights in Law, Politics and Society | LAWDM0089 | 30 | Optional | TB-4 |
Privacy Law: Theory and Practice | LAWDM0092 | 30 | Optional | TB-4 |
Only 30 points permitted on any LLM stream and only if not previously studied in a common law jurisdiction. Note that Parts I and II of Public Law, Law of Tort and Law of Personal Property must both be taken when electing to take 30 points of a 30 point foundation unit. | ||||
Public Law I | LAWDM0101 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Public Law II | LAWDM0102 | 10 | Optional | TB-2 |
Law of Personal Property and Trusts I | LAWDM0100 | 10 | Optional | TB-1 |
Law of Personal Property and Trusts II | LAWDM0104 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Law of Tort I | LAWDM0103 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Law of Tort II | LAWDM0105 | 10 | Optional | TB-2 |
Law of Contract | LAWDM0061 | 30 | Optional | TB-4 |
Criminal Law and Criminal Justice | LAWDM0086 | 30 | Optional | TB-4 |
Land Law | LAWDM0075 | 30 | Optional | TB-4 |
LLM Human Rights Law | 180 |
The pass mark set by the University for any level 7(M) unit is 50 out of 100.
For detailed rules on progression please see the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes and the relevant faculty handbook.
All taught masters programmes, unless exempted by Senate, must allow the opportunity for students to exit from the programme with a postgraduate diploma or certificate.
To be awarded a postgraduate diploma, students must have successfully completed 120 credit points, of which 90 must be at level M/7.
To be awarded a postgraduate certificate, students must have successfully completed 60 credit points, of which 40 must be at level M/7.
An award with Merit or Distinction is permitted for postgraduate taught masters, diplomas and certificates, where these are specifically named entry-level qualifications. An award with Merit or Distinction is not permitted for exit awards where students are required to exit the programme on academic grounds. An exit award with Merit or Distinction may be permitted where students are prevented by exceptional circumstances from completing the intended award.
The classification of the award in relation to the final programme mark is as follows:
Award with Distinction*: at least 65 out of 100 for the taught component overall and, for masters awards, at least 70 out of 100 for the dissertation. **Faculties retain discretion to increase these thresholds.
Award with Merit*: at least 60 out of 100 for the taught component overall and, for masters awards, at least 60 out of 100 for the dissertation. Faculties retain discretion to increase these thresholds.
* The MA in Law has separate regulations for awarding distinction and merit.
** For the award of Distinction, the Faculty of Engineering requires at least 70 out of 100 for the taught component overall and, for masters awards, at least 70 out of 100 for the dissertation.
All taught masters programmes, unless exempted by Senate, must allow the opportunity for students to choose, or be required, to leave at the postgraduate diploma or certificate stage.
To be awarded a postgraduate diploma, students must have successfully completed 120 credit points, of which 90 must be at level M/7.
To be awarded a postgraduate certificate, students must have successfully completed 60 credit points, of which 40 must be at level M/7.
Please note: This specification provides a concise summary of the main features of the programme and the learning outcomes that a typical student might reasonably be expected to achieve and demonstrate if he/she takes full advantage of the learning opportunities that are provided.
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Tel: +44 (0)117 928 9000